M2 May 2018 - LATEST ISSUE!
Samsung “The Wall”
“The Wall” is so much more than just a huge TV set, it’s a massive breakthrough in the development of televised entertainment. It even changes size. Whatever the viewer wants, “The Wall” gives. The world’s first modular MicroLED 146-inch TV featuring self-emitting technology has landed in the market. MicroLED’s are a lot smaller than […]
Virgin’s Hyperloop One
Sitting in traffic in a state of gridlock is a painful experience. Moving inch-by-inch as talking heads on the radio yabber on while drivers attempt to cheekily cut across lanes, the frustration of being stuck between point A and point B is excruciating. Increasing traffic congestion is a legitimate problem facing major cities around the […]
Whisky 101 – A Guide To The Gentlemen’s Drink
We at M2 want you to enjoy this drink right. Whisky has a set of rules and requires etiquette that you must follow so you can experience this drink to the best of its quality. We’ve organised a step-by-step guide for the beginner whisky drinker so that they can experience all that a good whisky […]
Challenge Accepted
The Ferrari Challenge is the widest ranging and most envied one-make series in the world and for the first time ever, it was held in New Zealand. Fittingly, Hampton Downs Motorsport Park played host to a weekend of high performance, high drama and ultimate luxury in an event like no other – and we were […]
M2 PEAK PERFORMANCE powered by Under Armour
Unstoppable Force
Mike Horn has circumnavigated the globe more times than a NASA satellite. He’s climbed to the top of numerous 8000+ metre peaks (without oxygen), walked unassisted to both Poles and all the way around the North one, swam the Amazon, played with sharks and piranhas and even had a lap dance from a polar bear. With […]
Sand, Surf And Success
As a child, Matt-Lewis Hewitt had always been drawn towards sports that required discipline, teamwork and structured routine. Sports like rugby, swimming, surf lifesaving, water polo and, especially, surfing. Starting at 14 years old, it took Hewitt just 18 months before he was competing professionally in surfing. The young prodigy was headed for success, no […]
Going For Gold – David Bishop
Ex-engineering student, sport fanatic and skilled gymnast, David Bishop is a perfect example of someone who emulates the good ol’ Kiwi spirit. He has a can-do attitude, that lovable personality and the type of ability any sportsman would love to encompass. He is a medal-winning gymnast, fitness coach, and with some big competitions coming up, […]
Train like an Athlete – The Climber Edition
Few of us can even begin to imagine clinging to the side of a more than vertical cliff-face and inching your way higher and higher until eventually clambering over the cusp: rock climbing definitely isn’t for the faint hearted. We talk to Joe Ward; the New Zealand Alpine Club National Boulder Series champion about the […]
Style
Best Of The Watch Fairs – 2018
What with luxury watch brands having slipped back into the mainstream market for watch buyers, the timepiece is still very much alive and well. The big names in the watch business – Switzerland, Italy etc – still produce top-quality timepieces that will stand the test of time. M2 have put together a list of luxury […]
If The Shoe Fits
Start the day on the right foot by making sure your shoe game is on point.
Style Update – May 2018
It’s time to fully embrace all the latest and greatest Autumn style trends. Here’s all the trends and pieces you need to get in on. Vans Vans never seem to fail anyone when they’re looking for fashionable, easy-to-wear shoes. They have the street cred as well. If you were a youngster in the early 80’s, […]
Wild
Walk on the Wild Side
Expressionist American photographer, Aaron Siskind once said: ‘Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever…’ We bring you the iconic shots from The Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017, developed and produced by the National History Museum, London. Capturing the most magical parts of […]
11 Deadliest Animals on the Planet, And How to Survive Them
The animal kingdom is a strange and wonderful place. From architects to mimes, assassins to philanderers, each animal has its own niche, a role and place. While we regularly encounter cats, dogs, birds and bugs, our chances of seeing dangerous animals are usually limited to visiting the zoo or watching The Discovery Channel. But while […]
Behind The Lens: Open Ocean
The thought of delving into the deep and getting face-to-face with some of the world’s biggest and deadliest beasts is not something everyone can face. But it is a different story for underwater videographer and adrenaline junkie, Steve Hathaway. Fascinated about life under the surface, M2 dove straight in when the opportunity arose to talk […]
Surgeons of the Sea
Free Willy vs Jaws… who wins? Hollywood has altered our expectations about how this sort of apex predator duel would go down. Unless you spend more time watching documentaries than old movies on VHS, then the answer isn’t so clear. The biggest great white sharks can measure six metres long, weigh more than 2200 kilograms […]
Snow
The Mazda SKI-ACTIV Experience
I vividly remember the first time I actually put skis on and hit (quite literally) the snow. I was in my late teens and full of bravado; I headed to the top of the chairlift, strapped on two planks of wood and shot down the slope – straight into a tree. The sensation was both […]
New Zealand Snow Guide 2017
With a cold blast hitting much of New Zealand earlier than expected, ski fields the length of the country have been able to open with bonus time to spare. Seasoned snow bunnies know their spots on both islands, but for those looking to venture out and experience new terrain and thrills, where do you go […]
STEF ZEESTRATEN: HALFPIPE HEDONIST
From one of the flattest countries in the world, to the sharp ascents of the Southern Alps, Dutch-born Stef Zeestraten has, as is his wont, carved a name for himself in New Zealand snowboarding folklore. Throughout his 17-year competitive career that saw him peak at 47th in the world in 2008, Zeestraten has followed the serious […]
Climbing The Podium: Kiwis at the Winter Paralympics
The Winter Games, both Olympic and Paralympic, usually pass with minimal mention down under, but in the case of the compact Kiwi Paralympian team heading to South Korea this March, there’s reason to take notice. For a global event that is heavily dominated by northern hemisphere athletes, New Zealand participants more than hold their own. […]
Leadership
The Chair: Rob Campbell
Over the last 30 years Rob Campbell is on the board of some of our largest companies across our largest industries. Currently Chair of Summerset Group Holdings (NZ) and WEL Energy, and a director of SKYCITY Entertainment Group and Precinct Properties as well a director of or advisor to a number of hedge and private […]
Building An Icon – Sir George Fistonich
Drinks International has for the fourth year in a row named Villa Maria as one of the most admired wine brands in the world and the highest ranking New Zealand winery in this year’s “World’s Most Admired Wine Brands” list. And while Villa Maria has become an icon in the New Zealand wine industry and […]
Reinvention At Scale
Spark CEO, Simon Moutter, is leading our largest telco through the one of the most disruptive eras in business and the tech industry. All whilst reinventing the nature and structure of a company that employs thousands of New Zealanders and invests hundreds of millions into infrastructure. This is a process that is helped by the logic and pragmatism of a […]
Impact From Simplicity
In a world of exponential innovation, disruptive technologies and giddy cryptocurrency speculation a discussion about another KiwiSaver fund might seem a little vanilla. But after a few minutes with Simplicity founder, Sam Stubbs even the most finically unfocused would be hard pressed not to find excitement in compounded interest from saved fees, the growth of […]
Gadgets
Samsung “The Wall”
“The Wall” is so much more than just a huge TV set, it’s a massive breakthrough in the development of televised entertainment. It even changes size. Whatever the viewer wants, “The Wall” gives. The world’s first modular MicroLED 146-inch TV featuring self-emitting technology has landed in the market. MicroLED’s are a lot smaller than […]
B & O Play
Audiophiles and tech aficionados rejoice – Bang and Olufsen have revamped their B&O PLAY line, with the introduction of the H9i and H8i. Beoplay H9i B&O’s top of the range over-ear headphones now flaunt a slimmer ear cushion and a change in materials and design. Sporting a lightweight aluminium frame covered in cowhide leather, the […]
A look at the Oppo R11s
Like the Android’s functionality but want the iPhone’s UX and UI? Oppo’s R11s is exactly what you’re after. Dubbed an “iClone”, because well, its interface looks unashamedly similar to Apple’s iOS, Oppo offers an iPhone-esque experience at a lesser cost. Specs Display-wise, the Oppo R11s has an 18:9 AMOLED FHD+ display, and has some respectable […]
iPhone 8 Plus Review
It’s that time of the year again. Yes! We have got our hands on a new, shiny iPhone 8 Plus in all of its full glass glory… On that note, I think glass is a great place to start; the most obvious update with the new device is that it is full glass. Glass back, […]
Mandate
This is What the Future of BMW Looks Like
At CES2017 BMW revealed the BMW i Inside Future sculpture, an experimental concept pushing the boundaries of how we interact with our vehicles. The interior design is more zenlike in its simplicity, and takes the focus away from the driver. In previous BMW’s they’ve aimed all the controls at the driver, making them a pilot at […]
The New Currency – Who Gives A Bit?
Money talks. Bitcoin talks with private keys. Have I lost you already? Stay with me. Cryptocurrency may seem daunting and overwhelming at first but with 1 Bitcoin equivalent to just over NZD$15,000 (at the time of writing this), it’s a concept well worth knowing about especially when you come to understand the implications and potential […]
A Golden Egg
Up in the northern reaches of Sweden, just before Norway’s frozen coastline is a golden egg sitting in a snowy field at Luossabacken in Kiruna. Built by Bigert & Bergström, it’s more than just art. The egg is a sauna that just happens to be made out of stainless golden mirror sheeting. The symbolism behind the egg runs […]
The Books To Read
Typhoon Fury Clive Cussler Juan Cabrillo and the corporation are off on another adventure, this time sees them in Asia. A good old fashioned good guy versus the bad guys with the villain being tough and not to be messed with. This is the 9th Oregon files book, those familiar with the series will know […]
Man on the Street
Man On The Street – Henry Beasley
When your life is full of writing, acting, producing AND being the lead singer of a band, you’re bound to have something interesting to say. Henry Beasley takes a few minutes with M2 to discuss life, success and motivation in this edition of Man On The Street: Age: 24 Occupation: Writer, actor, producer and […]
Man On The Street – Jared Smith
If you didn’t need money, what would you do? “I’d still build. I’d build cars, build tree houses, build cool alternative structures. I am not one to be able to do nothing, I always find something to keep my hands busy” – This guy clearly loves his job. Age: 28 Occupation: Owner of Round […]
Man On The Street – Adam Metcalf
Age 27 Occupation: Head Chef at Lula Inn What’s your morning routine? A PT session at Les Mills and then straight into the kitchen for work. What’s the top three things on your bucket list? 1. Nevis Bungy jump 2. Visit Old Trafford 3. Eat at Alinea restaurant in Chicago What advice would you give […]
Man On The Street – Shawn Pope
Age: 46 Occupation: Director of Melba Group What’s your morning routine? Starts with coffee, preferably roasted by Espresso Workshop, it always has! What are the top three things on your bucket list? Spend a white Christmas with my family in the States, travel on the Orient Express (can’t wait to see St Petersburg), windsurf on […]
Design
The Boaties Dream – Natural Selection
Have you got a couple $100 million spare change handy? Perhaps you’re an aspiring Bond villain? Or maybe you’ve been implicated in the Panama Papers? Well, you’re in luck – Netherlands-based yacht design company Sinot’s latest concept design, Nature is a vessel ripped straight out of a Putin daydream. It’s called Nature for a reason; […]
Star Wars Laser Battle Drone
Propel (the world’s leading developer and manufacturer of radio-controlled devices) has recently released a new toy on the market, launching gaming and high-tech droning into the next galaxy. With The Last Jedi having hit the big screen last month, and more themed merchandise arriving on shelves around the country, Star Wars-mania is well and truly […]
The Electric Future – Tesla Stem
Bruce Wayne, Tony Stark – they don’t exist. Sorry folks. We do have Elon Musk, however. And, quite frankly, that’ll do. Whether he has his sights set to the stars with SpaceX, disrupting the automotive world with Tesla or providing powerwalls to a broken Puerto Rico, Musk is doing this whole billionaire philanthropist thing quite […]
NZ Architect wins German Design Award
It sits there in the heart of Auckland’s Titirangi. A corrugated beating heart surrounded by native bush with the warbling sing-song of Tui and Kereru as the soundtrack. While you might think that the seclusion of West Auckland’s native bush would mask the design mastery of “Red House”, it employs the opposite effect, so much […]
Deep Dives
The Modern Day Space Race
The solar system we occupy is a fascinating place, that’s for certain – nine planets that glow as beacons and an uncountable infinity of stars. Beginning in the late 1950s, a race pitted capitalist America against communist Soviet Union to see who was superior with their space technology. The Soviets took the lead by launching […]
Who Is Using Your Data?
Zuckerberg: Yeah so if you ever need info about anyone at Harvard Just ask. I have over 4,000 emails, pictures, addresses, SNS [Redacted Friend’s Name]: What? How’d you manage that one? Zuckerberg: People just submitted it. I don’t know why. They “trust me”. Zuckerberg: Dumb f**ks. This was an ironically leaked series of messages between […]
All Hail Our Secret Government
It’s a golden time for lobbyists at the moment. We’ve just had a change in government and that means it’s time for everything to change, come what may. Duh, it has to – as the last guys obviously got every single thing wrong! But there’s a slight problem in that, aside from a couple of […]
The Fight For Gender Diversity – An Ad Man’s POV
So, a high-powered panel of female leaders featuring Theresa Gattung, Justine Smyth, Tracey Cross, Naomi Ballantyne and Linda Meade were at the M2woman Journey to Excellence forum recently. I think it’s fair to say that the gist of their forum was; “we want moregender equality in the workplace! Now, dammit! Now!” Huh? Is this really […]
Cover Stories
Eddie Redmayne – The Real Fantastic Beast
I try my best to avoid cliche, but there’s this famous quote that goes, “if you do what you love, you’ll never have to work a day in your life”. While normally I would lump that quote in with gems such as “live, laugh, love” and “keep calm and carry on”, I feel like using […]
Charlie Hunnam, Making of A Legend
You’ve likely heard of the legendary King Arthur and the extraction of the enchanted sword, Excalibur, from the stone, but who on earth is Charlie Hunnam? Sons of Anarchy fans will know the English actor as bikie, Jackson ‘Jax’ Teller, and women wish they knew him, as he was one of the original picks for […]
Double Edged: The Return of Blade Runner
We’re treading on hallowed ground now. We all knew that one day Hollywood’s rummaging hand would light upon a classic like Blade Runner. They’ve already made the right first move by not rebooting everything from scratch. The second move they need to make is far more nuanced. Just a little background for readers who are […]
The Good, The Bad And The Loki
A couple of years back I took a paper called “Celebrity Cultures” as part of my Post-Grad. In between the discussions around topics such as the role of paparazzi, fandom, and the power of endorsement, “Persona” was a recurring key concept. Meaning “Mask” in Latin, the persona is essentially a socially constructed image that others […]
Success
Impact From Simplicity
In a world of exponential innovation, disruptive technologies and giddy cryptocurrency speculation a discussion about another KiwiSaver fund might seem a little vanilla. But after a few minutes with Simplicity founder, Sam Stubbs even the most finically unfocused would be hard pressed not to find excitement in compounded interest from saved fees, the growth of […]
4 Ways to be a Job-Hunting Warrior
If you are looking at changing jobs or even finding a job to start with, the process can be soul destroying. It may very well come down to how many jobs you apply for – after all, a great job is hardly likely to fall into your lap – but what happens if you’re seriously […]
Editor’s Letter February 2018
I’m an optimistic person by nature (probably a little bit too much so when it has come to some past financial investments) lately, though not even my overabundance of positivity is enough to make it through the financial news without coming away with at least a small amount of dread. Concerns about rising debt levels, […]
The Ironman CEO – Nick Stanhope
Ironman and Sovereign CEO, Nick Stanhope might well be New Zealand’s healthiest executive leader but it’s a philosophy that is core to the values the company that he has lead for just over a year. While insurance generally seems to be an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff type of affair, Sovereign is putting […]
Amazing Photos
Rebuilding a Nation
It was 2.45pm on March 11, 2011; everything was normal for Japan’s 127 million residences. It was one of the first days of spring and the air was still crisp, and there was no real hint of the chilling events about to strike the nation. The 9.0 magnitude quake hit at 2.46pm JST, and it […]
Walk on the Wild Side
Expressionist American photographer, Aaron Siskind once said: ‘Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever…’ We bring you the iconic shots from The Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017, developed and produced by the National History Museum, London. Capturing the most magical parts of […]
In The Moment
A magical moment can be so fleeting, and we don’t always have the right equipment to capture it. Smartphone technology is developing extremely fast, and Apple has always had a strong focus on enabling us to have an incredible camera just sitting in our back pocket. In celebration of the incredible imagery people have captured […]
The Next Revolution
The next revolution in photography has landed as the Sony World Photography Awards, an annual competition held by the World Photography Organization. A stunning celebration of capturing life’s most precious moments with just one click. On its 11th year (and counting), the awards are back and bigger than ever. Over 320,000 entries were considered last […]
Sport
The Monthly Sports Agenda – August 2017
MAYWEATHER V MCGREGOR Not many of us wouldn’t get in the ring with Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather for a reported $180 million US and loudmouth Irishman Conor McGregor has the chance to make some dubious history. The fight between the undefeated Mayweather and the UFC drawcard is set to break all sorts of commercial records and […]
Sports News: May 2018
The One To Watch Wyatt Crockett Longevity the Maketh of a Legend If he plays every game leading up to the Eden Park clash with the Blues, Wyatt Crockett will become the first player to reach 200 Super Rugby games. And, with his track record it’s not hard to imagine he’ll play a part in […]
The Monthly Sports Agenda
Motorsport dominates the global sporting landscape in October, with both hemispheres hosting their signature events as their respective seasons heat up: Formula 1 has its busiest month; the WRC finishes off its European window; and three Kiwis are neck and neck for Bathurst and beyond. NBA 2017/18 TIPS OFF It’s all about who can keep up […]
Kiwis At The Cup – A New Zealand History In The America’s Cup
As the billionaires and their boats descend on Bermuda for the 35th America’s Cup, Team New Zealand will be once again showing why they are at the cutting edge of yachting evolution. Against a perpetual wall of money, Kiwi sailors have always found a way to get around or over it with skill, innovation, and […]
Bucket List Experiences
11 Most Dangerous Sports
Here are some of the more dangerous activities you could attempt if 1 – you are crazy seriously crazy, 2 – you like to live (or die) on the edge, 3 – you still have insurance cover for your particular dangerous sport and 4 – you believe what you are doing will cure the hiccups. […]
Three Types of Texas
Weightlessness, emptiness and feeling so miniscule compared to the giant world that I stare back at, there is a thick silence and all I can hear is my own breath and the mechanical sounds created from my spacesuit… “The Eagle has landed” … goose bumps cover my body from head to toe and my daydreaming thoughts […]
The Art Of Fakery
Austrian photographer Gregor Sailer is a changer of landscapes, and a tricker of minds. Photographs in his latest series, The Potemkin Village, strike a sense of confusion… but not everything is as it may seem. While growing up in Tyrol, Austria, Gregor Sailer started taking snaps at a young age and has not stopped […]
Destination Du Jour
It’s that time of year when you are in-between tropical holidays and in desperate need to get out of the city, even just for the weekend. While it is winter, New Zealand has some pretty incredible destinations to escape to, and recharge and re-energise yourself to get through the last few cold months of the […]
Wheels
To The Manor Reborn AKA Unearthing Diamonds
The opportunity arose to visit the Jaguar Land Rover Classic Works in Coventry, and I seized it with both hands. Not only would it give me the chance to pore over such iconic cars as the E-Type and Land Rover Series 1 , but it also came with the offer of being chauffeur driven there and back in a […]
Wheels News – January 2018
Bringing you the ‘Shining Stars’ we discovered at the LA Auto Show. Mazda6 More style & more oomph The Mazda6 is the flagship of Mazda’s passenger car line-up and its improved styling looks to add greater maturity and composure to this popular sedan. With a refreshed exterior and a new high-grade interior that features Japanese […]
Wheels News – Our pick of what’s hot, fun and quite simply bizarre.
Range Rover Velar New Range Rover Velar, showcasing the next chapter in Range Rover design DNA. Progressive design, refined finishing and exceptional driving capabilities. Mercedes-Benz The Mercedes-AMG Project ONE is a high-performance hybrid said to produce over 1000hp and reach top speeds beyond 350km/h. The show car combines outstanding race track performance and day-to-day-suitable Formula 1 […]
Mercedes – AMG C 43 Cabriolet, Disturbing the Peace
Cabriolets, soft tops, dropheads, open tops or convertibles, call them what you may, but for me, they always bring on a sense of fun, leisure and, when outside the confines of city walls, an all-important, fresh-air freedom. The simple process of removing a vehicle’s metal (or fabric) ceiling is like unlocking the shackles of life, […]
Health
Health News, September 2017
CHOCOLATE Scientifically proven to be healthy A meta-analysis from Brown University has found a host of health effects from eating chocolate that stop the onset of scary words like “dyslipidemia”, insulin resistance and systemic inflammation which are apparently all major subclinical risk factors for cardiometabolic diseases. If you can say that sentence off the top […]
The Benefits Of Comvita Honey
More than just your favourite spread; if you are unaware of the benefits of Manuka Honey, then you have clearly not been listening to us share about it’s health benefits recently. So, those of you listen up, and take notes. In 1974, Comvita® founders Claude Stratford and Alan Bougen believed in the power of nature. Four […]
So You Think You’re Healthy? Health Concerns Of The 40 Year Old
As much as we don’t want to admit it, we 40-plus guys have been using the classic cliché for years: “Kids, everything you’ve done (whether it be partying hard, drinking or drugs), your dads have done it all before.” And now, from a health perspective, we are starting to pay the price for those experiences! […]
Health News – February 2018
It’s the season of summer sports, so grab your mates and head out to the tennis, races or polo this February. Catwalk Trust Modern medicine is an incredible thing. Smallpox? Eradicated. Heart failure? We can transplant a new one. But there are fields where more research is required and the treatment and cure for Spinal […]
Entertainment
Book reviews – March 2018
By Tim Lawrence I haven’t read the first two Orphan X novels, but I did read and review another Hurwitz novel last year, Tell No Lies, where I said: “ The story is set in San Francisco, the hero is a rich kid with a tough, wealthy mother; he gives up everything to marry his […]
Stephen King – Author Credit
The infamous 1986 horror novel IT will be seen in a different light the movie hits the big screens this September. We hear from the man, Stephen King himself, about what he thinks of the upcoming iteration. When you watch a film based on one of your books, like IT, do you find yourself thinking […]
Kevin Hart – The Irresponsible Tour
Kevin Hart, Hollywood’s leading funny man, is coming to New Zealand for the first time bringing his “Irresponsible Tour”, performing his routine 360º in-the-round – a first for a stand-up comedy tour of this scale. He may be small in stature, but Kevin Hart’s empire continues to grow to gargantuan proportions. The comedian and actor had a […]
Films To See This March
Death Of Stalin In cinemas March 15 Steve Buscemi (Pulp Fiction, Boardwalk Empire) stars in this political satire as Nikita Khrushchev, dealing with the instability of the Soviet Union in the wake of Joseph Stalin’s death. Beautifully shot, and sprinkled with humorous nuances, the film ended up being banned in Russia and several CIS states […]
Food
Recipe: Butter Infused With All Natural Ingredients
When it comes to summer food there is one thing many of us look forward to all year – BBQs. Perfectly cooked steak, fresh prawns and locally caught fish with summer salads and perla potatoes. It’s a summer tradition, really! Award-winning chef Owen Sinclair has created a must-have for your next BBQ with Flavour Fiend […]
Where Our Chefs Eat: The Ultimate Mans Guide
There’s nothing worse than pining after a dish all day, only to be miserably disappointed when your order doesn’t quite live up to the expectations. With a dizzying array of options dotted around the city, it’s hard to know where to even begin. To avoid a serious case of food disappointment, we spoke to some […]
The Burger Battle
Each week seems to bring another burger joint opening, but hey, we’re not complaining. But with each new opening comes a new concept, so which fusion, style or flavour do you pick? Better Burger These guys seem to be taking on the city, with the recent opening of their Sylvia Park store showing they have […]
Discover Your New Local – Ben Bayly’s Less Obvious Guide to the Best Restaurants
We live in a golden age of chefs. Between the move towards consumers seeking a more personal and authentic dining experience, Auckland is bubbling over with cooking legends who not only practice world-class gastronomy but also manage to remain authentic with more focus on craft than profit. Ben Bayly, one of the judges on New […]
Wine
The ‘Holy’ Trinity
We get amongst the vines and learn what goes into making Trinity Hill wines Winemaking Wizardry Looking for a new wine to try out? Look no further. We headed down to the Hawke's Bay and caught up with Trinity Hill Wines Chief Winemaker Warren Gibson for a taste test of five of the best wines […]
Wine Guide: Beyond Borders
A Bordeaux wine is any wine produced in the Bordeaux region of south-west France. The area produces predominantly red wines, which the English will often refer to as Clarets. These red Bordeaux wines are generally made from a blend of grapes, with Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot being the most common. While the Bordeaux […]
Wine Guide – Soulful Sauvs
While Chardonnays might be making a comeback and a lot of people are ‘branching out’ and trying different varietals, it is still the Sauvignon Blancs that dominate the landscape when it comes to our favourite white wines. It is of course the Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc that we have to thank for the meteoric rise of […]
Pinot Noir Game Changers
The Pinot Noir grape hails from Burgundy in France. While their origins are in France you’ll find that our New Zealand Pinot Noirs are quite unique. It is this uniqueness that has our wine producers looking to Pinot Noir to being the next big export success – on the back of their outstanding success with […]
Coach Your Way To Success
How To Not Be The Mechanic With The Broken Car
There’s something wholly disconcerting about going to the mechanics to get your car fixed, and finding out that his own car is in disarray. You arrive nice and early to get that annoying rattling noise in your car attended to before work and, when the mechanic pulls in two minutes later, you hear that same […]
The Business of Retirement: Stage 1 – Realisation
I remember when I was young thinking how old my parents were and how I could never imagine getting to their age. Now here I am, older than they were at the time. Like many people I had my life planned out – go to school, go to University, get a job to make money […]
When To Not Care in Business
It’s not often I get the time to sit down and read a book. Maybe it was something about the title that provoked an interest. If anyone is familiar with the bestseller The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F***: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life, Mark Manson tells us that not giving […]
Make the Most of the January Slump
Christmas is a bittersweet time of year for business owners. On the one hand, you get a few days off; eating, drinking and catching up with mates, but on the other, your business comes to a standstill and you know it will take the best part of January to recover. As clients and employees clock […]
Luxury Watches
SEIKO Picks of 2017
Seiko Astron GPS Solar Seiko launched the Astron GPS Solar at Baselworld 2012 and five years onward, the range of Astron GPS Solar calibres continues to grow in line with the ever-widening demand for smart watch technologies. The new 8X42 brings the number of active GPS Solar calibers to four in the Astron range and […]
TAG Heuer Picks of 2017
TAG Heuer Carrera Heuer-02T Tourbillon Baguette Diamonds Jack Heuer, great-grandson of founder Edouard Heuer, designed the original Carrera in 1963, inspired by the speed, thrill and edginess in the world of auto-racing. The 2017 Carrera Heuer-02T Tour channels the daredevil bravado of Carrera’s past and injects it with the unabandoned flashiness and swagger of the […]
M2 Luxury Watch Guide 2017
The phrase ‘time is relative to the observer’ arose from Albert Einstein’s field equations, which were published in 1915. Although he was talking about time as it pertains to general relativity, this extends to us as observers within the human condition. A minute can feel like hours at moments of stress. Conversely, the oft-thrown-around idiom […]
Montblanc TimeWalker Collection
Paying tribute to Minerva’s extraordinary heritage, Montblanc takes a journey back to the glory days of motor racing with five new TimeWalker timepieces that capture the beauty, spirit and values of motorsport history. Professional watches are reborn, highlighting the performance and innovation of the new Montblanc TimeWalker collection. The Rebirth of Professional Watches Car racing […]
Drink
Taste Of Summer
Seek out those who embrace the unusual, and you’ll find that Hendrick’s Gin is much loved by a handful of curious individuals all over the world. infused with the remarkable Bulgarian Rosa Damascena and specially selected cucumbers, Hendrick’s Gin has a unique botanical signature that sets it apart from the rest. The master distiller carefully crafts […]
Clink Clink Drink
Whiskey has been a passion of mine for a while now. Way before I started my Instagram, @clinkclinkdrink, I would enjoy a regular dram with my dad. Since then I have embraced the full definition of what whiskey can be – Scotch, Irish, bourbon, rye, even New Zealand and Japanese. Whiskey is great neat, but […]
Limited numbers of bottles of this whisky are landing in NZ, here’s when & where to find them
Extending the annual Islay Whisky Festival – Feis Ile – in Scotland slightly, Ardbeg Day will be celebrated in New Zealand on Saturday June 3. The celebrations stretch across the country in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington. There will be celebrations along with the official release of the limited edition Ardbeg Kelpie for purchase, paired canapes […]
A New Drop
A harvest gold complexion and a fiery-but-curious sweet toffee texture, Ardbeg An Oa is a magical addition welcomed to the Islay Malts. Layered with a plethora of different flavours, the complex whiskey contains an illuminating exploration of age-old techniques. Gathering Vats combine different casks to marry flavours together; the tastes and emotions that Ardbeg have […]
Authors
The Author To Know: David Lagercrantz
Best-selling author of I am Zlatan Ibrahimovic and 11 other well-known titles, Lagercrantz is a man who wears numerous hats. One moment he is a journalist, the next he is a biographer, the next a ghost-writer, then a novelist. A man of sheer talent and verve. Born in Solna in 1962 to Olof Lagercrantz (a […]
Kiwi Author Sells Book Rights to Hollywood
Ben Sanders was not a name I had heard of when I saw his books in stores for Christmas. So after a few sightings, I got the message and read American Blood. I liked it. The hero, Marshall, wasn’t as arrogant as Jack Reacher, and not as active as Jason Bourne. He was a good […]
Stephen King – Author Credit
The infamous 1986 horror novel IT will be seen in a different light the movie hits the big screens this September. We hear from the man, Stephen King himself, about what he thinks of the upcoming iteration. When you watch a film based on one of your books, like IT, do you find yourself thinking […]
Chris Carter – The Hunter And The Hunted
Chris Carter is a crime writer with a long résumé of published works. He is most well-known for his Robert Hunter series of detective novels, which includes An Evil Mind, One By One, The Night Stalker and The Crucifix Killer, all of which have enjoyed big success globally. But dig deeper into his CV, and […]
Book Reviews
The Books To Read
Typhoon Fury Clive Cussler Juan Cabrillo and the corporation are off on another adventure, this time sees them in Asia. A good old fashioned good guy versus the bad guys with the villain being tough and not to be messed with. This is the 9th Oregon files book, those familiar with the series will know […]
Books: Must Reads For April
Gallery Of The Dead Chris Carter Robert Hunter, the insomniac genius detective, is back with a novel that fulfills the cover’s proclamation that it is ‘as addictive as a box-set’. I agree, I was bingeing this book at every opportunity. Excellent characters and plot. The Caller Chris Carter Don’t be put off by the tacky […]
THREE BOOKS TO READ THIS MONTH
TELL NO LIES Gregg Hurwitz The story is set in San Francisco, the hero is a rich kid with a tough, wealthy mother; he gives up everything to marry his sweetheart and becomes a psychologist who works with ex-prisoners to rehabilitate them. Mother does not approve. It’s a murder mystery with twists and turns and […]
Book reviews – March 2018
By Tim Lawrence I haven’t read the first two Orphan X novels, but I did read and review another Hurwitz novel last year, Tell No Lies, where I said: “ The story is set in San Francisco, the hero is a rich kid with a tough, wealthy mother; he gives up everything to marry his […]
M2 April 2018 issue
Man On The Street – Shawn Pope
Age: 46 Occupation: Director of Melba Group What’s your morning routine? Starts with coffee, preferably roasted by Espresso Workshop, it always has! What are the top three things on your bucket list? Spend a white Christmas with my family in the States, travel on the Orient Express (can’t wait to see St Petersburg), windsurf on […]
Sports News – April 2018
The One To Watch: Hamish Bond Swaps The Boat For The Bike What do you do when you’ve won two gold medals rowing at the Olympics, taken home seven consecutive world championships and can’t be beaten over eight long years? Take up cycling, is Hamish Bond’s response and he wasn’t meaning a dilly-dally out into […]
Beyond The Bottle
They say a fine wine only gets better with age, and with a rich history spanning over the past 168 years, Australia’s Yalumba winery is a testament to that. Take a closer look at the only operating wine cooperage in the southern hemisphere. Nestled away in the Barossa Valley, Yalumba may just be the most historic winery […]
How Great People Make A Great Company
Behind any successful business, you’ll usually find great people. The business I founded nine years ago, Pure SEO, is no exception. I’m constantly in awe of my team—and often wonder how I’m the one (sort of) running the company! So many of our people are passionate, committed and incredibly driven, which is what I attribute […]
M2 MARCH 2018 issue
The Champagne Campaign: the new Mumm Grand Cordon
Be it sprayed on the podium after an F1 race, raised as a toast at a gathering of colleagues and associates, or popped open for a special occasion, champagne is a prerequisite for any celebration. Hailing from a long line of German barons and knights going back to the 12th century, the Mumm family founded […]
The Fujifilm X-H1: A Quick Glance
Mirrorless cameras are beginning to usurp the throne where DSLR’s once sat and if you’re looking for a top of the range mirrorless that’ll sharpen up your video skills (content creators, we’re looking at you), then the Fujifilm X-H1 is well worth a look at. The latest addition to the Fujifilm’s X-Series line, the X-H1 […]
Ford Ranger Raptor: Performance & Baja Ha Ha
A recent study by Ford research boffins in Europe highlighted that regularly driving a sports car can greatly increase your sense of wellbeing and emotional fulfillment. Therefore, although our off-roading friends may find a certain sense of pleasure slowly wallowing around in the mud ruts of the countryside, they have evidently, by owning a mere […]
From The Ground Up: Inside Monk Mackenzie
Their iconic bright pink Lightpath cycleway on Nelson Street in Auckland’s CBD speaks for itself, but that is just the tip of the iceberg for Monk Mackenzie. Hamish Monk and Dean Mackenzie, the brains and namesake behind the architecture and design studio Monk Mackenzie, pack an impressive breadth of experience on projects that span across […]
M2 FEBRUARY 2018 issue
Man On The Street – Christian Espinoza
Age: 34 Occupation: Studio Manager at Kingsize Studios What’s your morning routine? I wake up at 5am, write down what I want to get done, cook breakfast for my son, leave for work. Then check phone messages. How did you spend your Christmas / New Year’s break? I spent it in Melbourne with family and […]
Impact From Simplicity
In a world of exponential innovation, disruptive technologies and giddy cryptocurrency speculation a discussion about another KiwiSaver fund might seem a little vanilla. But after a few minutes with Simplicity founder, Sam Stubbs even the most finically unfocused would be hard pressed not to find excitement in compounded interest from saved fees, the growth of […]
The New Currency – Who Gives A Bit?
Money talks. Bitcoin talks with private keys. Have I lost you already? Stay with me. Cryptocurrency may seem daunting and overwhelming at first but with 1 Bitcoin equivalent to just over NZD$15,000 (at the time of writing this), it’s a concept well worth knowing about especially when you come to understand the implications and potential […]
Grooming On-The-Go
If you are taking a big trip overseas, or even just an overnight business trip down country, it is important to bring the best grooming gear with you. There is nothing quite like getting up at the crack of dawn, having a hot shower, shave and shampoo to really have you feeling on top of […]
M2 JANUARY 2018 issue
The Electric Future – Tesla Stem
Bruce Wayne, Tony Stark – they don’t exist. Sorry folks. We do have Elon Musk, however. And, quite frankly, that’ll do. Whether he has his sights set to the stars with SpaceX, disrupting the automotive world with Tesla or providing powerwalls to a broken Puerto Rico, Musk is doing this whole billionaire philanthropist thing quite […]
Fit For A King
Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the first prime minister of the UAE once said: “My grandfather rode a camel, my father rode a camel, I drive a Mercedes, my son drives a Land Rover, his son will drive a Land Rover, but his son will ride a camel.” Oil will run out. This is […]
Man On The Street – Dominic Sutton
Age: 44 Occupation: CEO Pumpt Advertising & Investor What’s your morning routine? I get up at around 7am, I play Joe Rogan podcasts or listen to e-books while showering and shaving. Breakfast is either porridge or an omelette. While eating I skim the News, read an article I have saved in Pocket and I check […]
2017 – The Year That Was
Another year over, another year wiser… Or not, as the case may be. If 2016 saw a plethora of, erm, questionable choices from a global perspective – Trump and Brexit, in particular, spring to mind – then 2017 has been the year when those choices have really begun to hit home… January The world watches, […]
M2 DECEMBER 2017 issue - Man of the Year issue
Aaron Taylor-Johnson
He knows how to dance. He knows how to sing. He’s funny, and intense…’ Givenchy Parfum’s chief executive officer described Aaron Taylor-Johnson when announcing him as the new face of Givenchy Gentleman Only. Born in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, just north-west of London, a young Taylor-Johnson attended the Jackie Palmer Stage School in High Wycombe, where […]
Photo Series: Dark And Stormy
The sky above you starts roaring, you feel the earth beneath you quivering and the crisp, whirling air feels like it’s forming icicles on your cheeks. But the lighting is perfect and the brewing tornado plummets to the ground below, you feel the clunk of your camera shutter opening to capture the moment. And you […]
4 Movies To Look Out For This December
Oh the horror, December. It’s a magical time to recollect that you have no idea where your year went, while being bludgeoned with red and green tinsel. November has already seen the first wave of terrible Christmas movies, so we can skim past those onto better things. Star Wars: The Last Jedi […]
Maximise Your Marketing Efforts this Christmas
Whether you love it or hate it, Christmas is almost here. Aside from leaving you out of pocket for the best part of the following quarter, the season is a great time to increase your sales, improve your brand and reconnect with your clients and customers. Unless you have a relevant product or service to […]
M2 NOVEMBER 2017 issue
SONY Cyber-Shot DSC-HX90V
No one ever wants to miss capturing a special moment, and that’s why smartphone cameras are great, but when you want to take your photography game a little further it is important to look for a camera that suits and caters to your needs. In this case we take a look at the Sony DSC-HX90V. […]
Reshaping a City
Husband and wife team John and Josephine Love from Love & Co. are no strangers to the process of transforming old buildings into exciting new spaces but their latest project will define the heart of Auckland for generations to come. Love & Co. are transforming the old Civic Administration Building (The CAB) into 17 levels […]
The BOOST↑UP Takes the Hassle out of Charging
Charging your iPhone just got as easy as putting it down. Simplify Charging Simplify charging your devices and unclutter your space! Posted by M2 Magazine New Zealand on Wednesday, 6 December 2017 Belkin has worked closely with Apple to create a fast efficient charging pad for iPhone X, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone 8. The BOOST↑UP […]
MEET THE MAKER – David Alexander Flinn
With the addition of the new fragrance ‘Y’ to the YSL catalogue, the well-seasoned fragrance house teams up with three different artists and a talented creative team to form a campaign that celebrates the makers out there. Meet David Alexander Flinn, a sculptor, filmmaker, artist and model; YSL talks to him about what motivates, challenges […]
M2 OCTOBER 2017 issue
The Mazda SKI-ACTIV Experience
I vividly remember the first time I actually put skis on and hit (quite literally) the snow. I was in my late teens and full of bravado; I headed to the top of the chairlift, strapped on two planks of wood and shot down the slope – straight into a tree. The sensation was both […]
The View From Above
Everyone bar none knows about NASA. The American space juggernaut has been around since the late 1950s and was responsible for the first manned mission to the moon. That said, the organisation has an almost mythical feel to it from here in New Zealand. We see the news about the missions, astronauts and even watch […]
Man on the Street – Neil Baudinet
Age: 58 Occupation: Company Director, Montblanc. What is your morning routine? I get up reasonably early. Fortunately, I have a home office. I do a couple of hours of emailing and catching up on things that have happened overnight. Then I head to the gym. On the days I don’t do that, I take the […]
Mercedes-Benz GLC A Very Classy Package
Like many other New Zealanders, it’s around about now that I start thinking of my summer holidays. Where to go, where to stay, how to get there and what to do. There are so many options out there and, to be perfectly honest, even when we’ve agreed on a destination, pleasing the family in terms […]
M2 SEPTEMBER 2017 issue
New to Watch From Watch Me
Just Be Cool Flava hosts Daz and Ast have a slight problem on their hands; After a rather large, successful promotion that has sold out a debut gig featuring Buck Nasty and his smash hit “Just Be Cool”, Daz and Ast are the flavour of the moment. Unfortunately they are missing one important element – […]
Commitment Strategy and Resilience
Commitment Have you ever wondered why you don’t always get the results you want? As unpalatable as the answer is, it is likely to be that you didn’t commit enough energy and resource to it. There are, of course, many situations where it simply wasn’t worth any more effort! Fine, but don’t whine about the […]
11 Most Dangerous Sports
Here are some of the more dangerous activities you could attempt if 1 – you are crazy seriously crazy, 2 – you like to live (or die) on the edge, 3 – you still have insurance cover for your particular dangerous sport and 4 – you believe what you are doing will cure the hiccups. […]
Why You Have to Specialise to Thrive in Business
Specialising has taken my business to the next level. My goal is to have a small base of exceptional clients. This year I’ve made some significant business decisions to achieve it. The last 10 years I’ve acquired thousands of clients. I can’t provide that many people with a high level of service and I don’t […]
M2 AUGUST 2017 issue
Living an Extraordinary Life Means Giving Up a Normal One
The larger mob of society will never experience true success. Why? Because this majority is unwilling to become the CEO of their life – they’d rather someone else call the shots. They are unwilling to take risks, to fail publicly or be forced to try again after getting knocked down. They are unwilling to sacrifice […]
The Vision: Beyond Television
For a man that is far more comfortable talking about his team than himself, Cameron Death has a work history that would make even the most charismatic tech guru weep into their kale smoothie. After almost a decade at the headquarters of the company that built the foundation of the tech revolution, Microsoft, he crossed […]
When Do You Wake up Successful?
If I was to ask you what success looks like, what would you say? Do you consider yourself to be a success, or would you struggle with its rendition? If you would have asked me five years ago, I would have told you success was owning a digital agency with a team of great people […]
The Future of New Zealand Architecture
New Zealand currently has 14 projects shortlisted in the World Architecture Festival, which is judging over 500 projects from around the world. We have plenty of completed projects being judged, but I like to look to the future at what we have changing our public spaces in the near future. Four future projects are currently […]
M2 JULY 2017 issue
Clink Clink Drink
Whiskey has been a passion of mine for a while now. Way before I started my Instagram, @clinkclinkdrink, I would enjoy a regular dram with my dad. Since then I have embraced the full definition of what whiskey can be – Scotch, Irish, bourbon, rye, even New Zealand and Japanese. Whiskey is great neat, but […]
Books, Movies, Review July 2017
Murder Games James Patterson & Howard Roughan A living testament of the old saying, ‘practice makes perfect’, prolific writer Patterson just keeps getting better. And 300+ million books sales are proof. He just turned 70 years old this year and this book is great! As it says on the back cover: “the pages turn themselves.” […]
David Beckham’s Guide To Success – Incredible Lessons for Success On and Off the Field
The prototypical script for a famous footballer goes something like this: You play 10 years (if you’re lucky). Possibly win a league title in the process (if you’re lucky). Finally, you negotiate a broadcasting career where you play pundit and banter with other ‘legends of the sport’ (that is, if you’re lucky). You then retire for […]
Best Business Advise I Have Ever Given!
Your need to be really, really, really clear on what you want and it has to be stated simply. This isn’t written for those of you who already have your life sorted with a vision board or written goals that you look at it every single day. Congratulations, you are in a very small group […]
M2 JUNE 2017 issue
Four Weird Jobs involved in the Making of the Perfect Car
Did you know that there’s someone in the auto industry who’s in charge of making your brand new car smell nice and brand new? This is just one of the many hidden roles that go into making your new ride feel great. When you were a kid, you may never have dreamed of being that […]
5 Tech Trends That Will Disrupt Kiwi Marketing
M2 Coach Podcast – 5 Tech Trends That Will Disrupt Kiwi Marketing Let’s face it, there aren’t many aspects of our lives that technology hasn’t touched. This month, I caught up with some of my friends in the marketing world for their take on the top technology trends that are set to disrupt Kiwi marketing. […]
5 Food Tips That Will Make you Look & Feel Better
You are what you eat. So if you’re like me you’re pretty quick, but mostly garbage. That doesn’t need to be the case, however! There are plenty of easy things we can do with our diet that will make us look and feel like winners. BREAKFAST FOR ENERGY Make sure you start the day with […]
June Wheels News
Lamborghini Passing by Italy any time soon? Why not go see Ayrton Senna: The Man and the Legend, a special exhibition at the Lamborghini Museum. Every race car ever driven by the champion will be on display, from his debut outing to his tragic accident, heightening the appeal of the Ayrton Senna: The Last Night […]
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